CHAPTER 2
---
Pond stood outside.
His group was behind him, tense and alert.
In front of them- another university.
Too many eyes. Too much pride.
"I said apologize to them. Now."
Pond's jaw tightened as he spoke through clenched teeth.
The opposing leader let out a short laugh, unimpressed.
"No," He said flatly. "We're not apologizing to these losers."
He tilted his head slightly-
And pointed at Louis and Fourth.
Pond's expression didn't change.
But the air around him did.
Cold.
Sharp.
"You think you can hurt my people just because they look weak?" He said quietly. "You think you can stand above anyone?"
Students passing by slowed.
Then stopped.
Phones came out.
Recording.
Pond didn't care.
His gaze stayed locked forward.
"I said," He repeated, voice lower now, heavier, "apologize."
The leader didn't move.
Didn't even blink.
Fourth- Pond's cousin, quickly grabbed his arm. "Phi Pond... It's fine. Let's leave."
Louis- Fourth's best friend, rushed in too, grabbing his other arm, panic clear in his voice. "Phi, please- let's just go."
Pond shook them off.
"No."
A pause.
"They have to apologize."
His group behind him shifted- ready. Waiting.
The tension snapped tighter.
The leader rolled his eyes.
"Keep dreaming," He said. "We're not apologizing."
Pond's jaw tightened further.
"They're juniors," He said, voice controlled but sharp. "Freshmen. And the first thing you did was pick on someone weaker than you."
A beat.
"Why don't you go back to your own university and just shut up?"
The opposing group stirred immediately.
One step forward-
A punch almost thrown-
But their leader raised a hand.
Stopping them.
Then he laughed.
Low.
Mocking.
"Fine," He said.
A pause.
"I'll apologize... If you one-on-one me."
His gaze sharpened.
"Just the two of us. No interference."
Silence.
Pond didn't even hesitate.
"Fine."
Then the fight began.
No more words.
No more warnings.
Just movement.
Pond stepped forward first.
The moment the distance closed, the air shifted- like everyone around them collectively held their breath.
The opposing leader met him halfway.
The first strike came fast.
A shove. A grab. A clash of force.
Pond twisted away, boots scraping the ground, immediately answering back with a sharp counter that forced the leader to stumble half a step.
"OH- he moved!"
Someone in the crowd shouted.
Phones lifted higher.
More people started recording.
The two circles of students backed up instinctively, forming a wider ring around them as the fight escalated.
No cheering now.
Just shock.
Just tension.
Pond didn't speak anymore.
He didn't need to.
Every movement was controlled- precise, angry, focused.
The leader fought back harder, trying to match him, trying to overpower him with brute force and ego.
"PHI, STOP-!" Fourth tried to step forward again, but Louis pulled him back.
"No, don't- he said one-on-one!"
Somewhere in the crowd-
"Wait- this is LIVE-!"
A student held their phone up higher, screen glowing bright.
They had started streaming without thinking.
The caption was messy, rushed:
"FIGHT AT CAMPUS BORDER?? POND VS SOMEONE FROM OTHER UNI"
Viewers started piling in.
Comments flooded instantly.
Pond ducked a swing, pivoted, and pushed the leader back with enough force to make space between them again.
Both of them breathing heavier now.
Both refusing to back down.
The leader wiped his mouth, glaring.
"Still standing?" He muttered, trying to sound amused.
Pond's expression didn't change.
"If this is what it takes for you to listen," He said quietly, "then fine."
Another clash.
Another rush forward.
Phones shook as the livestream zoomed in, shaky and chaotic.
Somewhere in the background, students whispered:
"Isn't that Pond from our uni?"
"Why is he even fighting him?"
"This is going viral..."
And in the middle of it all-
Pond didn't look at the cameras.
Didn't look at the crowd.
Didn't look at anything except the person in front of him.
Because for him-
This wasn't entertainment.
It wasn't a trend.
It was a line he refused to let people cross.
A professor passing by froze mid-step-
Then immediately rushed forward.
"Hey! Stop it! What the hell is this?!" He shouted, voice cutting through the chaos.
The crowd jolted.
Phones wavered.
The livestream kept going, shaky and zoomed in on confusion.
The professor's eyes locked onto Pond first.
His expression shifted instantly.
Recognition.
Frustration.
Disappointment.
"Pond- why are you causing trouble again?!" He snapped.
Pond turned slightly, breathing heavy, jaw still tight.
But before he could even speak-
A sharp siren echoed down the road.
Blue and red lights flashed through the gathering crowd.
A police car pulled up fast.
Doors opened.
Officers stepped out immediately, scanning the situation with practiced urgency.
The noise around them shifted all at once.
Voices rising.
People stepping back.
Phones still recording.
"Everyone step away!" One of the officers ordered.
The situation dissolved into controlled chaos.
Students tried to explain at once.
Others backed away quickly.
The livestream continued for a few more seconds before the camera shook violently.
"Wait- what- are they arresting them??"
Pond exhaled sharply.
His group tensed behind him.
The opposing side stiffened too, realizing the situation had escalated beyond pride, beyond ego.
"Phi Pond!" Fourth called out again, panic in his voice.
Louis looked frozen, not even moving.
Officers stepped in.
Hands on shoulders.
Separation.
Orders being given too fast to fully process.
Pond didn't resist at first.
Just stared forward.
Expression unreadable now- not anger anymore.
Just... Stillness.
And then-
The cuffs clicked.
Metal against skin.
Final.
Around him, the noise blurred.
Voices faded into one distant hum.
The livestream ended abruptly as the phone dropped to the ground-
Screen still glowing for a second-
Then going dark.
---
Later that day, Pond sat on the cold floor of the cell with his group.
The air inside was heavy, stale, unmoving.
Silent in a way that pressed against the ribs.
Fourth and Louis were not there.
They had already been let go.
Not part of the group. Not part of the charge.
Just witnesses who were lucky enough to leave.
Pond sat with his back against the wall, jaw clenched, staring at nothing in particular.
His fists rested loosely at first-
Then slowly tightened.
Footsteps echoed outside the corridor.
Getting closer.
Then passing.
A familiar figure appeared beyond the bars.
The leader.
The same one from earlier.
But now-
He was walking free.
Pond's eyes lifted.
Cold.
Sharp.
Still.
The leader stopped for a second.
Just long enough for their eyes to meet.
No words were exchanged.
None were needed.
Then the leader smirked slightly-
And walked away.
Gone down the corridor like nothing had happened.
Like it was nothing.
Pond's fists clenched harder.
His nails pressed into his palms.
A low breath left him.
Controlled.
Barely restrained.
Then-
footsteps again.
Different this time.
Stronger.
Familiar in a different way.
"Pond."
The officer unlocked the cell.
Pond looked up.
And there he was.
Force.
His older brother.
Standing at the entrance with a sharp, unreadable expression.
Frustration was there-
But so was something heavier.
Concern.
The officer opened the cell fully.
"Everyone out," Force's voice cut through the space.
Pond stood slowly.
No hesitation.
No resistance.
Just rising to his feet like gravity had no hold on him anymore.
Behind him, his group followed orders one by one, stepping out quietly.
No talking.
No noise.
Just the sound of movement and metal echoing.
Pond was last.
Of course he was.
He stepped out of the cell.
The moment he did, the weight in the air changed.
Lighter.
But not gone.
Force followed behind him as they were led out.
No one spoke.
Not yet.
---
Outside, the night air was cooler.
Sharper.
Real.
Pond's group stopped first.
They turned toward Force.
One by one, they gave a small wai.
"Thank you."
Respectful.
Grateful.
Then they left.
Until only two people remained.
Pond.
And Force.
Standing outside the station.
Silence stretching between them.
Force exhaled slowly, trying to keep his composure.
"Do you know how much trouble you've caused?"
Pond answered immediately, voice flat.
"No."
Force's brows pulled together. "Pond."
A warning. Sharper this time.
Pond let out a sharp breath, gaze still forward.
"It's not my fault," He muttered. "They beat up Fourth and Louis just because they're weak."
Force's expression hardened instantly.
"And your solution is to fight?" He said, voice low but controlled.
Pond finally looked at him.
Dead straight.
"What else?"
That did it.
Force snapped.
"You could've reported it!" He raised his voice, frustration breaking through. "There are systems for a reason!"
Pond let out a short, humorless laugh.
"And then what?" He shot back. "You think they're actually going to do something?"
His eyes sharpened.
"You think councils care about students?"
Force stared at him, jaw tightening.
"Pond."
Just his name.
Heavy with disappointment.
Pond exhaled again, longer this time.
Tired now.
Not softer- just done arguing.
"You know what, Phi," He muttered, already turning away, "if you're done, let's just go home."
And with that-
He walked off.
Force stood still for a second.
Then clenched his fists at his sides.
Because nothing was more frustrating than watching someone you care about-
Refuse to be helped.
And still-
He followed after him.
---
The next morning, Phuwin walked toward the university gates.
The sun was already up, students passing by in groups, voices blending into the usual hum of campus life.
Everything felt... Normal.
Routine.
Then-
His eyes caught something.
Someone.
Pond.
Walking through the gates like nothing had happened.
Like yesterday didn't exist.
There were faint bruises on his face.
A cut near his lip.
A slight swelling along his cheek.
Signs of a fight that hadn't been gentle.
Phuwin slowed for just a second.
Just enough to notice.
Pond didn't.
He kept walking forward, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable- like the world around him didn't matter.
Phuwin looked at him.
A moment longer than necessary.
Then-
He looked away.
And continued walking.
Because it wasn't his business.
Not his problem.
Not his world.
Right?
Suddenly-
"Phuwin!!"
A group of students rushed up to him, voices bright, cheerful- too loud for the quiet morning.
Arms slipped around his shoulders like it was natural. Like it had always been that way.
There were seven of them.
Four boys. Three girls.
All smiling.
All familiar.
"Where were you yesterday?" One of the girls asked, nudging him lightly. "We didn't even see you after class!"
Phuwin smiled softly. "I went home early."
"Of course you did," One of the boys laughed. "Top student behavior."
Another chimed in, "Hey, did you finish the assignment for Professor Chai? That one was insane."
Phuwin nodded. "Yeah, I did."
"Can I see it later?" The boy asked quickly.
Phuwin's smile didn't falter. "Sure."
"See? This is why we keep you around," Another girl teased, looping her arm around his.
"You're literally a lifesaver, Phu."
Phuwin let out a small laugh.
Light.
Easy.
Practiced.
"By the way," One of them added, lowering their voice a little, "did you hear about the fight yesterday? It was crazy."
"Yeah, Pond went insane," Another said. "Like, full-on fight with another university."
Phuwin blinked once.
Then smiled again.
"I heard a little."
"Good thing you weren't there," Someone said. "That kind of thing is so not you."
"Yeah," Another agreed. "You're too... Perfect for that."
Phuwin smiled.
Again.
"Maybe," He said simply.
They laughed, continuing to talk, pulling him along as they walked toward the building-
Like he belonged there.
Like he was part of them.
And Phuwin let them.
Because that's what he was supposed to do.
Fake smiles.
Fake energy.
Fake laughter.
Fake I'm okay.
He walked with them, letting their voices fill the space, letting their arms stay around him-
And smiled.
Again.
Right on cue.
At the right moments.
At the right jokes.
Like he always does.
But underneath-
His shoulders felt heavy.
His chest felt tight.
His mind... Tired.
So tired.
Isn't it?
To keep pretending like you're not.
To keep being what everyone wants you to be-
Even when you don't remember
What you're like without it.
Phuwin's smile stayed.
Perfect.
Untouched.
And no one noticed-
How empty it felt.
---
Later that afternoon, Phuwin arrived at the café just nearby the university.
The moment he stepped inside-
The atmosphere shifted.
Warm lights.
Soft chatter.
The faint smell of coffee and something sweet lingering in the air.
It felt... Different.
Smaller than his house.
But somehow-
More alive.
Phuwin walked toward the counter, adjusting his bag slightly.
"Phi Sammy," He called, a bright smile already in place.
Sammy turned immediately.
Her face lit up.
"Oh my God- Phuwin, you're here!" She cheered, practically beaming. "Welcome to my café!"
Phuwin let out a small laugh, nodding politely.
"Thank you."
"I hope you're gonna like it here," Sammy added quickly, already stepping out from behind the counter.
Before he could say anything else, she gently grabbed his arm.
"Come on! I'll teach you how things work around here," She said, pulling him along. "Especially since you're gonna be working here now."
Phuwin nodded, letting himself be led.
His smile stayed-
But this time...
It felt lighter.
Not forced.
Not measured.
Just... There.
And for the first time that day-
He didn't feel as heavy.
---
Weeks passed.
Phuwin worked at the café quietly- day after day.
Serving customers.
Standing behind the register.
Making coffee with steady hands.
Learning.
Adjusting.
Living something that finally felt like his.
---
Then one night-
everything shifted.
Rain poured heavily outside, hitting the windows in relentless waves.
The streets were nearly empty.
No customers.
Just the soft hum of the café and the sound of rain filling the silence.
Phuwin leaned against the counter, phone pressed to his ear.
"I'll be home late," He muttered. "It's raining heavily. Don't open the door unless it's me, alright?"
"Yeah, Phi. Take care," Book's voice came through the line.
Phuwin nodded slightly. "Alright. Stay safe."
He ended the call.
Silence again.
Rain.
Then-
The door opened.
A gust of cold air rushed in.
Water dripping onto the floor.
Heavy footsteps.
Phuwin looked up.
Pond.
Soaked from head to toe.
Wet hair clinging to his face. Clothes damp. Shoes stained with mud.
Breathing slightly heavier than normal.
Like he had just come from somewhere-
Or something.
He walked straight to the counter.
"One coffee," He said, voice low and cold. "And a chocolate cake."
Phuwin nodded.
No questions.
No reaction.
He turned, moving automatically.
Making the coffee.
Grabbing a slice of chocolate cake.
Ignoring the trail of water Pond left behind.
Ignoring the mess he'd have to clean later.
Just doing his job.
Pond walked to one of the booths and sat down.
Quiet.
Still.
His phone rang.
He picked it up without looking at the screen.
"Where are you?" Force's voice came through.
"In the café near the university," Pond replied flatly.
Before Force could respond-
The call ended.
Behind the counter, Phuwin heard it.
His fingers paused for just a second.
Then-
without thinking-
He reached for something small.
A cherry.
He placed it gently on top of the chocolate cake.
Perfect.
Then he picked up the tray, walked over, and set it down in front of Pond.
Pond's gaze dropped to the plate.
He stared at it.
For a moment longer than necessary.
Then he looked up.
"I didn't order a cherry on top," He muttered.
Phuwin blinked. "It's part of the cake."
Pond glanced toward the display case.
"It's not."
Phuwin didn't look away.
"You seem like you're having a bad day," He said quietly. "Just treat the cherry as my treat."
A small pause.
Then his eyes flickered to the clock.
"At this point, what you ordered is on me. It's late. No need to pay."
And just like that-
He turned and walked back behind the counter.
Pond didn't move.
His gaze followed Phuwin's back longer than necessary.
Something unreadable settling in his expression.
Cold.
But curious.
Phuwin.
The perfect one.
Top of the class.
Working in a small café like this.
It didn't make sense.
Pond looked back down at the plate.
At the cherry.
Slowly-
He reached out, picked it up-
And placed it to the side.
Then he ate the cake.
Quietly.
---
Two days later, Phuwin and Gemini walked along the university pathway.
Students passed by in groups, the afternoon sun casting soft shadows across the ground.
Gemini glanced at him. "You still have work this afternoon?"
Phuwin nodded. "Yeah. Always busy," He muttered.
Then-
Someone passed by.
Fourth.
Phuwin didn't recognize him.
But Gemini did.
His gaze followed Fourth's figure a second longer than necessary.
Phuwin tilted his head slightly. "You interested with that guy?"
Gemini froze.
"...No," He muttered quickly.
Phuwin narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced-
But he didn't push.
Then suddenly-
A cluster of girls caught their attention.
A small crowd had formed ahead.
Whispers. Giggles. Blushing faces.
Phuwin blinked.
Gemini looked over, already knowing.
"It's Pond," Gemini said.
"Pond?" Phuwin repeated.
Gemini nodded. "He's usually surrounded by girls."
Phuwin looked ahead.
And there he was.
Pond stood at the center of the group.
Girls circled around him, talking over each other- laughing, smiling, trying to get his attention.
"Pond, you disappeared yesterday!" One of them said, lightly hitting his arm.
"Yeah, where were you? We didn't see you at all," Another added, leaning closer.
Pond let out a small laugh.
Loud enough for them to hear.
Relaxed.
Carefree.
"Busy," He said casually. "You know how it is."
One of the girls pouted playfully. "You always say that."
Another leaned in. "At least tell us next time, we were worried."
Pond smirked slightly.
"Worried?" He repeated, tone teasing. "Didn't know I had that effect."
The girls giggled, some covering their faces, others nudging each other.
On the outside-
He looked easy to approach.
Charming.
Effortless.
But his eyes-
They didn't match.
Cold.
Distant.
Uninterested.
Like none of it actually reached him.
Like he was just... Playing along.
Phuwin watched quietly.
Gemini exhaled. "Let's go. I wanna eat some fried rice," He muttered.
Phuwin snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh- okay..." He said softly, a small smile forming.
And just like that-
They kept walking.
Past the crowd.
Past the noise.
Past Pond.
Phuwin didn't look at him.
Not again.
But Pond did.
The moment Phuwin passed by-
Pond saw him.
And his smile-
Slowly dropped.
Not completely.
Not enough for anyone to notice right away.
But it faded.
Just a little.
His gaze followed Phuwin's figure.
Step by step.
Longer than it should.
Long enough-
For it to feel intentional.
Phuwin walked beside Gemini, unaware.
Behind him, the girls were still talking.
Still laughing.
Trying to pull Pond's attention back.
"Pond? Are you listening?"
"Hey, where are you looking?"
"Are you okay?"
Pond blinked.
Like snapping back into place.
The smile returned.
Right on cue.
"Yeah," He said casually. "I'm listening."
But his eyes-
Flickered once more toward where Phuwin had disappeared.
Then-
Nothing.
Like it never happened.
—————————————————————————